1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fluid cleaning devices and, in particular, this invention relates to devices for cleaning fluid streams without the use of filters.
2. Background
Particulate-laden fluid streams from industrial processes must often be cleaned before being released into the environment. For example, hot asphalt mix plants with direct-fired rotary drum dryers generated untreated exhaust gas streams that will not pass current or future codes until the particulates are removed therefrom. Presently, the best available method of doing so is the filter bag house, which is inefficient and expensive to operate. These filter bag houses use filters which become progressively more plugged by oil and particulates. Consequently, these filter bag houses become progressively more inefficient as the filters become progressively more plugged with materials being cleaned from the air stream. Additionally, replacing or cleaning the bag filters is time consuming and costly and often requires that the plants discontinue operation during maintenance activities of this nature. Therefore, there is needed a device and method which efficiently eliminates particulates and other pollutants from industrial air streams without using filters to do so.